Women with severe mental illness are five times more likely to be raped and three times as likely to suffer domestic violence, a new study has claimed. File picture

Women with severe mental illness are five times more likely to be raped and three times as likely to suffer domestic violence, new research has today claimed.

Researchers at the University of Central London and King's College London, found a 'staggering' 40 per cent of women with serious mental health issues were found to have been victims of rape or attempted rape.

More than half were found to have attempted suicide as a result, the study found.

The team noted the around seven per cent of the general UK population have been victims of the sexual assault, while three per cent of women have attempted suicide.

Dr Hind Khalifeh, lead author of the report, said: 'The number of rape victims among women with mental illness is staggering.

'At the time of the survey, 10 per cent had experienced sexual assault in the past year, showing that the problems continue throughout adulthood.

'Considering the high rate of suicide attempts among rape victims in this group, people admitted to hospital after attempting suicide should be asked if they have been sexually assaulted.

'Currently this is not done and so patients may miss opportunities to receive specialist support.'

Male psychiatric patients were 24 times more likely to be sexually assaulted, with 12 per cent of those surveyed having been attacked compared to 0.5 per cent of the general population.

The findings were based on a survey of 303 randomly recruited psychiatric outpatients who had been in contact with community services for a year or more, 60 per cent of whom had a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

They were interviewed using the British Crime Survey questionnaire for domestic and sexual violence, and their responses compared to those from 22,606 respondents to the 2011/12 national crime survey.

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Men and women with mental illness were also found to be more likely to be victims of domestic violence than the general population.

More than two thirds of women and 49 per cent of men with severe mental illness reported domestic violence.

Domestic violence from family members other than partners made up 63 per cent of total domestic violence cases against psychiatric patients, compared with 35 per cent of the general population.

'Most domestic violence prevention policies for adults focus on partner violence, but this study shows that interventions for psychiatric patients also need to target family violence,' said Dr Khalifeh.

The report stated that experiences of violence may have contributed to the onset of mental illness.

Researchers at the University of Central London and King's College London, found a 'staggering' 40 per cent of women with serious mental health issues had been victims of rape or attempted rape. File picture

However, violence experienced in the past year would have been after diagnosis of severe mental illness since all participating patients had been under the care of mental health services for at least a year.

The results were adjusted for drug and alcohol use in the past year. The report found drug and alcohol use may increase the risk of being a victim, but equally victims of violence may turn to drugs or alcohol as a way of coping.

Louise Howard, professor in women's mental health at King's College London, added: 'This study highlights that patients with severe mental illness are at substantially increased risk of being a victim of domestic and sexual violence.

'Despite the public's concern about violence being perpetrated by patients with severe mental illness, the reality for patients is that they are at increased risk of being victims of some of the most damaging types of violence.'